Pop Culture Tours

The Roots' Philadelphia: A Tour of These Streets Where the 'Tonight Show' Band Done Ran

Wake up everybody, this tour will get you

by
Nell McShane Wulfhart
Posted Aug 29th 2014 2:48p.m.
A travel writer living in Montevideo, Uruguay (but formerly based in Philadelphia), Nell has written for "The New York Times," "The Guardian" and "Slate." Follow her on Twitter.

Still, through it all they’ve maintained love for Philly. Here’s a tour of the local spots that bred The Roots, from their first show to the huge parties they throw each year. And what's a Roots tour of Philly without a sampling of their songs with references to their hometown?

The Painted Bride

Back in early 1993, The Roots performed their first show at The Painted Bride, a landmark Philly arts venue known more for experimental dance performances than nurturing budding hip-hop acts. Stop by to see the stage where The Roots launched their live act, but first check out Questlove’s reaction to the video 19 years later:

snap! on video!? http://t.co/x0zLbjsh early 1993 Roots Show. This is where i got Do You Want/Things Fall Apart intros from. WOW!

The Roots Picnic

The Roots regularly return to Philly, and they’ve been throwing parties on Penn’s Landing for seven years and counting. The Roots Picnic is a huge outdoor musical event that takes place annually along the Delaware River on Festival Pier. The Roots handpick artists to perform and sometimes even serve as their back-up band. 2014 saw The Roots play alongside Snoop Dogg and Janelle Monáe, along with Philly-based artists like Chill Moody.

The Mural

Jane Golden, executive director of the Mural Arts Program, said, “We picked The Roots because not only are they a quintessential Philly band, but we love the story about how they met at the High School for Creative and Performing Arts; we love how they played on street corners, how their tenacity and passion drove them forward, we love their curiosity about all forms of music and their desire to create a unique sound, we like how they are models of being both aspirational and pragmatic—merging art with business in such a creative way.”

In cooperation with Mural Arts, The Roots also created a downloadable curriculum guide for teachers called Roots 101, that’s perfect if you’re raising young Roots fans.

Also, Questlove narrates an audio tour for Mural Arts that explores local murals reflecting the African-American experience in the city. Download the audio guide and let Questlove’s soothing voice guide you through Philly history.

The TLA

The gritty Theatre of Living Arts, known as The TLA, has hosted almost every act, big or small, that’s ever come through Philadelphia. The Roots have played shows here through the years, and shot their episode of "This or That" here, too. Check out this video for some great Philly tributes from Black Thought and Questlove and catch a show while you’re in town.

Also, The TLA is on South Street, a bustling and eclectic street packed with tattoo parlors and head shops. Questlove and Black Thought used to busk on the corner of Fifth and South Streets before they ever made an album.

Tony Luke's

Philadelphians aren’t shy about sharing their opinions on where to get the best cheesesteak, but don’t you trust Questlove’s taste? Swing by Tony Luke’s, which Questlove called “My number one spot without a doubt” for this Philly classic: a long roll stuffed with thin-cut steak, melted cheese and fried onions.

Also, at one end of the Parkway is the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Post-concert, a fireworks display is launched from behind this iconic building, which is also the place where another hometown hero (albeit a fictional one), Rocky, ran up the steps and looked out onto the city.